imagined penance for imagined sin
by xshedreamsinredx
Summary: Post 6x19. Damon/Caroline. Oneshot. There is a mouth shaped scar on her back that will never heal. This is their future already in making.


**Characters** **:** Damon/Caroline **  
** **Fandom:** The Vampire Diaries  
 **Warning:** Damon's POV. Second person narrative.  
 **Notes:** I don't what this is considering I don't even go here anymore; I just read recaps these days around. I am writing for Damon/Caroline after what I believe is years and this too is coming in the midst of my final examination. I have another on 11th May, so obviously this is my attempt at studying. To give it a timeline, I think Post 6x19 would be fine.

 **imagined penance for imagined sin**

 _We've made a graveyard out of the bone white afternoon._

 _._

 _._

 _._

"It's my spot."

You can practically hear her roll her eyes from where she sits at the ledge and it makes you feel all the more sorry for your life choices on a daily basis.

"I have yet to see your name on it," You say without meaning to. It's a habit. Talking her down has always been more of a default setting rather than any real attempt at mentation. "Blondie."

She doesn't turn around to acknowledge you, keeps staring ahead resolutely in an unseeing manner that lets you know is her attempt to cope with the guilt which must be gnawing her insides since she let the switch back on. Turning off your emotions is all well and good but only as long as it lasts.

"Go away, Damon."

You think about walking away, about letting her stay in her own misery and all that jazz. You think about how much exactly you hate this town and your freshly minted position as the local Uncle Sam. You think about how much you love Elena and have been reduced to playing the listener to every passerby's story of woe betides. You think about how much Blondie doesn't need this right now and how deep she is in her funk before you decide to occupy the place next to her.

"You broke my brother's heart," you begin with this dubious edge to your voice which sounds insincere, even to your own ears, you honestly hate vampire hearing abilities sometimes, "…along with his face."

It reminds you of Bonnie when she doesn't make the effort to push back the golden flash of hair away from her face. Seriously, what's wrong with the girls from this town? It must be the most obvious attempt in the history of the world to hide the fact that you are an unattractive crier.

"What page are you on with him anyway?" This is the most subtle you have been. "The amount of mood swings that Stefan goes through on an average day makes a strong case for the bluest of balls."

Golden curls hit you in the face when she finally turns around to look at you with swollen, blue eyes. "Shut up, Damon. It's none of your business."

"You did sleep with him." You don't know how you know that but it's probably in the same way you know that she flinches when someone calls her stupid. That there is a mouth shaped scar on her back that will never heal. That there is a yellow dress in her wardrobe that she refuses to wear.

You are sorry for how much you know about her sometimes.

"Well," she gets up, finding imaginary lint to brush off of her dress, "this weird bonding session might be your thing but let's not go around swapping summer love tales. Ok?"

It happens by mistake. You catch her by the wrist without particularly meaning to. "That bad, huh?"

She whips around, all scorching eyes and barbed words. "Not half as bad as it was with you, trust me."

Perhaps, it's a pathological condition that makes you act the way you do. Or, it's the fact that you were a born bastard. "Why, Caroline. Don't tell me that the first time wasn't what you thought it would be." Just the same, you have a certain penchant for being cruel. "Did your expectations of meaningful lovemaking get overshadowed by a cheap fuck in the back of an alley? You shouldn't care too much either way. This is usually the Salvatore Brothers trademark."

Still in your grasp, she flinches. The ripple makes it all the way through your skin. "Don't go there."

"You started it," is all you say and let go of her. Her hand falls uselessly to the side and she stands awkwardly across from you. The space stretching between the two of you is charged with a past that was and a future that isn't what she wants it to be.

"I am not that girl," She says firmly.

You know it bothers her to think of herself in that way which is only fair, considering it bothered the others too.

"I will never be that girl, Damon." Her fingers curl into tiny fist and her unshaken belief reminds you of how young she is. You tilt your head to hold her gaze.

You think about telling her the truth, about how it will always come down to this one girl between you and Stefan. You think about how much you love Elena and how you will be forced to let her go to spend her life as a human eventually. You think about how she will watch her friends die and how she will go on living. You, think about how eternity will harden her and how she is already this girl she hates so much, before you decide to rise up from your place in order to tower her.

You smirk, getting in her face because this is atypical. You are just playing your part. "Whatever you say, Blondie."

And then you are off just as suddenly as you had arrived but there is no mistaking the sigh of relief that catches the edge of your ear. Vampire hearing abilities, honestly.

You will let her hold on to her beliefs a little while longer because even after being dragged through blood, war, death and loss, she still has faith.

Oh, and it was her spot anyway.

* * *

End Notes: A bit rushed obviously, if tried to say everything without spelling it out but I am not sure how you guys will like it. Review if you want to, I'd appreciate a feedback.


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